China’s aviation sector is dominated by China’s four largest carriers – namely China Southern Airlines
(CSA), Air China, China Eastern Airlines (CEA) and Hainan Airlines – which between them control about
80% of the market in terms of total RTK. They face little competition from foreign carriers due to
airport capacity limits and airspace restrictions. Overseas carriers often enter into codeshare
agreements with China’s major airlines. According to the CAAC, China had a total of 58 airlines at the
end of 2017, including 43 state-controlled and 15 privately-owned. Among them there were eight allcargo
airlines, ten joint venture airlines and seven publicly-listed airlines.
The railway sector has been playing a vital role in China’s social and economic development. The
country relies on railway freight, including that of natural resources such as coal, or metal ores.
Dynamic urbanisation and socioeconomic changes, on the other hand, increase rail passenger traffic.
The country is the second largest railway freight transporter in net tonne-km (tkm) globally and the
largest passenger carrier in terms of passenger-km (pkm). It also operates the world’s largest highspeed
railway (HSR) network. China’s dynamic railway expansion began after it adopted the Medium
to Long Term Plan for Railway Network Development in 2004.